Usha
Raghavan (www.usharaghavan.com)
is
an internationally acclaimed dancer, teacher and choreographer hailing from
Madras, India. A post graduate in Indian Philosophy, Usha mastered the art of
Bharatanatyam under eminent gurus Sri Adyar K. Lakshman & Smt. Kalanidhi
Narayanan.
Over the
last forty years, Usha has performed extensively across the globe. Some of her
distinguished shows include international festivals sponsored by the Indian
Council for Cultural Relations and one sponsored by the UNESCO in Paris. Some
of her performances have been in front of very distinguished guests such as the
French prime minister and Indian and other ambassadors in several countries.
Her performance for Raymond Barre and the Aga Khan, the Golden Jubilee
celebrations of Indian Independence in the Caribbean, festivals in far-east
Asian countries, the International Festival ‘Humanitas’, Mexico and
‘ukgharana’ British South Asian dance & music festival in London are
some examples. Her recent production ‘Kamba Ramayanam’ for
the Festival “Passeport pour l’Inde” in France that was also
subsequently staged in London received rave reviews from connoisseurs. Her lecture–demonstration
in London on Sri Annamacharya’s life and kritis was hailed by even Telugu
scholars as inimitable.
Usha has also performed for the Doordarshan (Indian TV), RAI UNO (Italian), Deepam TV (UK) and performed & presented a documentary film on Bharatanatyam for RTSI (Switzerland TV).
Over the
last few decades, Usha has trained hundreds of students from across the globe.
Her perfect sense of pedagogy and wide knowledge of Indian dance and traditions
have gained her the reputation as a choreographer, dancer and teacher of
exemplary talent.
As the
Financial Express once wrote in a classic appreciation of her dance and
choreography, “Usha takes the audience to a refined level of perception where
one understands without effort almost the instant truth that when communication
is at work through the highest forms of art, language is but lame and halt.”
A creative
artiste that she is, Usha gives workshops, lecture demonstrations and
performances in addition to master classes in London, UK where she currently
lives.
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